The name "hacky sack" came from the 1972 inventors of the Footbag, John Stalberger and Mike Marshall. Although Marshall suffered a fatal heart attack in 1975, Stalberger continued the business.

At a later date, Stalberger sold the title to Wham-O. The name Hacky Sack has become a genericized trademark, and can refer to either the footbag or a footbag game.

The classic hacky sack circle consists of two or more players that keep the footbag off the ground without using their hands. Some common tricks include stalls, bag daggers, lifts, loops, ham spalts, and milk tosses.